第308章

第308章“ah！ah！…”screamednatasha,rollinghereyeswithhorror.

“butwhatdidhedo？didhetalklikeaman？”

“yes,likeaman.everythingasitshouldbe,andbegantotryandwinherover,andsheshouldhavekepthimintalktillthecockcrew;butshegotfrightened,—simplytookfright,andhidherfaceinherhands.andhecaughtherup.luckilythemaidsraninthatminute…”

“come,whyareyouscaringthem？”saidpelageadanilovna.

“why,mamma,youtriedyourfateyourself…”saidherdaughter.

“andhowdotheytryfateinagranary？”askedsonya.

“why,atatimelikethistheygotothegranaryandlisten.andaccordingtowhatyouhear,—ifthere’saknockingandatapping,it’sbad;butifthere’sasoundofsiftingcorn,itisgood.butsometimesithappens…”

“mamma,telluswhathappenedtoyouinthegranary？”

pelageadanilovnasmiled.

“why,ihaveforgotten…”shesaid.“iknownoneofyouwillgo.”

“no,i’llgo.pelageadanilovna,doletme,andi’llgo,”saidsonya.

“oh,well,ifyou’renotafraid.”

“luisaivanovna,mayi？”askedsonya.

whethertheywereplayingattheringandstringgame,ortheroublegame,ortalkingasnow,nikolaydidnotleavesonya’sside,andlookedatherwithquiteneweyes.itseemedtohimasthoughto-day,forthefirsttime,hehad,thankstothatcorkedmoustache,seenherfullyasshewas.sonyacertainlywasthateveninggay,lively,andpretty,asnatashahadneverseenherbefore.

“so,thisiswhatsheis,andwhatafoolihavebeen！”hekeptthinking,lookingathersparklingeyes,atthehappy,ecstaticsmiledimplinghercheeksunderthemoustache.hehadneverseenthatsmilebefore.

“i’mnotafraidofanything,”saidsonya.“mayigoatonce？”shegotup.theytoldsonyawherethegranarywas;howshewastostandquitesilentandlisten,andtheygaveheracloak.shethrewitoverherheadandglancedatnikolay.

“howexquisitethatgirlis！”hethought.“andwhathaveibeenthinkingaboutallthistime？”

sonyawentoutintothecorridortogotothegranary.nikolayhastilywentouttothefrontporch,sayinghewastoohot.itcertainlywasstuffyindoorsfromthecrowdofpeople.

outsidetherewasthesamestillfrost,thesamemoonlight,onlyevenbrighterthanbefore.thelightwassobright,andthereweresomanystarssparklinginthesnow,thattheskydidnotattracttheeye,andtherealstarswerehardlynoticeable.theskywasallblacknessanddreariness,theearthallbrightness.

“i’mafool;afool！whathaveibeenwaitingforallthistime？”thoughtnikolay;andrunningoutintotheporchhewentroundthecornerofthehousealongthepathleadingtothebackdoor.heknewsonyawouldcomethatway.half-waytherewasapileoflogsofwood,sevenfeetlong.itwascoveredwithsnowandcastashadow.acrossitandononesideofittherefellonthesnowandthepathanetworkofshadowsfromthebareoldlime-trees.thewallandroofofthegranaryglitteredinthemoonlight,asthoughhewnoutofsomepreciousstone.therewasthesoundofthesnappingofwoodinthegarden,andallwasperfectstillnessagain.thelungsseemedbreathingin,notair,butasortofever-youthfulpowerandjoy.

fromthemaid-servants’entrancecamethetapoffeetonthesteps;therewasaringingcrunchonthelaststepwherethesnowwasheaped,andthevoiceoftheoldmaidsaid：

“straighton,alongthispath,miss.onlydon’tlookround！”

“i’mnotafraid,”answeredsonya’svoice,andsonya’slittlefeetintheirdancing-shoescamewitharinging,crunchingsoundalongthepathtowardsnikolay.

sonyawasmuffledupinthecloak.shewastwopacesawaywhenshesawhim.shesawhim,too,notassheknewhim,andasshewasalwaysalittleafraidofhim.hewasinawoman’sdress,withtowzledhair,andablissfulsmilethatwasnewtosonya.sheranquicklytohim.

“quitedifferent,andstillthesame,”thoughtnikolay,lookingatherface,alllightedupbythemoon.heslippedhishandsunderthecloakthatcoveredherhead,embracedher,drewhertohim,andkissedthelipsthatworeamoustacheandsmeltofburntcork.sonyakissedhimfullonthelips,andputtingoutherlittlehandsheldthemagainsthischeeksonbothsides.

“sonya！…nikolenka！…”wasalltheysaid.theyrantothegranaryandwentbacktothehouse,eachattheirseparatedoor.